Grilled Beef and Eggplant with Espresso Butter
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Ingredients:
8 oz butter (fat)
Zest and juice of ⁄ lemon (sour)
2 tablespoons espresso powder or coffee grounds (bitter)
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 teaspoons kosher salt (salt)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (spicy)
4 steaks of your choice grilled to desired temperature (umami)
4 Japanese eggplant (bitter)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (fat)
2 kirby cucumbers, sliced (about 1⁄ cups)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (sour)
Kosher salt (salt)
Freshly ground black pepper (spicy)
1/4 cup mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
Season the steaks well with salt and pepper. Cook to desired temperature over high heat. As soon as the steaks come off the grill, place them on a rack to rest and top each with 1 tablespoon of the espresso butter. The butter should melt and run over the steaks as they sit.
For the eggplant, split the eggplant in half lengthwise. ⁄if they have large curve or bend, cut each eggplant into 2 pieces before splitting in half to make it easier.
Turn the eggplant so that the flesh side faces up, and lightly score the flesh with a pairing knife to create a diamond pattern. Season the flesh side lightly with salt and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. < this will help to draw some of the excess moisture out of the eggplant before cooking.
Pat the eggplant dry and brush the flesh of the eggplant with a generous amount of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Season again light with salt and pepper.
Place the eggplant on a hot grill flesh side down. Cook 3 minutes or until the edges begin to char and turn black. Flip the eggplant and cook 3 minutes more on the skin side. Turn again for a finish cooking 1 minute on the flesh side. Remove the eggplant to the rack with the steaks and immediately spread the flesh side with espresso butter. Let stand 1 minute.